Have you seen the GO 10 Team out and about? This spring we have been promoting work zone awareness and safety, helping businesses along the corridor plan around construction activities, and presenting and answering questions about the project to community groups. Presentations and events are one way we keep in touch with the community. If you want to stay informed, please visit our website to see all the ways you can get involved. Keep reading to see what we’ve been up to this spring.

Presentation at the Program Management Institute’s First Annual Professional Development Day

Bob Bielek was invited to present on the GO 10 project at the Program Management Institute’s First Annual Professional Development Day, held at the Wyndham Airport Hotel on June 9. Mr. Bielek presented to an audience of project managers and program directors from a variety of industries about what it takes to lead a high-impact, long-term project like GO 10. He discussed issues and challenges, managing expectations, communication with the public, and safety. A question and answer session followed the presentation.

TxDOT Safety Week Event

TxDOT’s Work Zone Safety Week event was staged alongside I-10, just east of the US 85 interchange, within the GO 10 project limits. Safety Week events are held around the state each year to promote work zone awareness and educate drivers on how to avoid preventable crashes and save lives. TxDOT’s El Paso District Engineer Bob Bielek opened the event and West Area Engineer and GO 10 Project Engineer Tim Twomey talked about current conditions in the GO 10 work zone, pointing out just how important cautious driving is in work zones. El Paso Police Department Lt. Steven Schmidt shared safe driving tips. The event, which was open to news media, featured several safety-related exhibits, including the Dragnet Safety System, which can stop a semi-truck traveling over 60 miles per hour without injuring the driver. The Dragnet uses the same tailhook and cabling technology that prevents jets from taxiing off the edge of aircraft carriers. GO 10 is the only TxDOT project that uses the Dragnet system to help keep the work zone safe.

GO 10 Business Alliance Meeting

The Business Alliance is a group facilitated by GO 10 for the benefit of area businesses. A meeting was held this March at Johnny Carino’s Italian Restaurant on Sunland Park Drive. The group received a presentation from the GO 10 Team showing construction progress, sharing details about upcoming work at major project sections such as North Mesa and Sunland Park, and forecasting what to expect from construction in 2017 and 2018. Guest speaker was Richard Dayoub, President of the Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce, who encouraged business owners to band together and come up with innovative solutions that can mitigate construction impacts.

If you have ideas you’d like to share or you’re a business owner with questions about GO 10, we encourage you to sign up to be part of the GO 10 Business Alliance – it’s not too late to join! You’ll receive project updates and get answers to questions. It is a great opportunity to keep in contact with the GO 10 Team and network with other businesses, discover common problems, and come up with solutions. The GO 10 Team is ready to help put solutions into action.

Presentation to Rotary Club and the United Way

The GO 10 Team had two great sessions in March with the Rotary Club of West El Paso and the United Way of El Paso County. At both meetings, GO 10 representatives spoke about the project’s general construction timeline, project progress, and upcoming major closures, including the high profile demolition of I-10 East at North Mesa Interchange that took place on March 12. Presenters also gave the audience insight as to how GO 10 managers minimize construction impacts on traffic.

You can see where GO 10 presenters will be next by visiting the GO 10Event Calendar.

If you’d like to request a presentation for your group, please call the GO 10 phone line 1-844-373-4610 or send an email by clicking here.